The Pain of Demotion
by DiddyKF1
Summary: Based on Donkey Kong Country Returns. Diddy Kong being demoted to 'extra'. Sure, the real adventure was fine, but a demotion in the game was too much. Diddy hates just about everything that comes with his demotion and doesn't take it very well. How would he take his frustration out on Retro Studios for limiting him to second player only? Read to find out.


I know I already put in some details of this in my Diddy Kong SSB4 fic, but I felt as if I just had to put it into more detail since the other fic was focused more on Super Smash Bros. rather than Donkey Kong Country.

Anyways, for once, I'm not afraid to completely make my point to Retro Studios in just about every way possible. How do you think Diddy felt about it? Read to find out!

* * *

Some time in early 2011

* * *

The sun was shining brightly over Donkey Kong Island. It was yet another one of those days where the Kongs could only describe this as a beautiful spring day. The seeds underground were already sprouting new life into plants of all kinds, and the birds could be heard chirping such lovely tunes. The outdoors made it look like a splendid day.

At Donkey Kong's tree house, Donkey Kong and his little nephew, Diddy Kong, who lives with him, were in their living room playing the then-recently-released 'Donkey Kong Country Returns' on their Wii. The two had been having quite an eventful morning with the game.

There soon came this one level in the Factory in which DK was unable to time his attack on an enemy and fell into a bottomless pit, leaving Diddy running alone. Diddy was doing okay by himself until just after he passed the checkpoint he accidentally had a run-in with another enemy whom he didn't have enough time to attack due to his fast running, and the Kongs were forced back to the checkpoint.

Diddy soon put on a strange look on his face. This made DK believe that his little buddy was thinking about something that may have been disturbing him.

The two Kongs tried it again while going separately, but once again they failed. DK thought it'd be best if Diddy jumped onto his back to make it easier, so he did just that. DK made several more attempts at this tricky section with the help of Diddy's jet pack and peanut popguns, but they still couldn't make it past the impossible jumps and ended up getting a 'Game Over', leaving them both in disgrace.

Diddy decided to let DK try it himself in the 'single player' mode as he had decided to take a little break to calm himself down.

Sure enough, DK entered the single player mode and tried the level again with Diddy on his back to help with the jumps.

While Diddy was trying to calm himself after their most recent failure on that level, a couple of gazes on their TV screen gave him a strange feeling inside his chest. His heart seemed to be beating in some way that made him feel some pain. There was indeed something about that single player mode that he surely did NOT like at all.

DK had already known what it was, yet Diddy wouldn't have the courage to tell his uncle about the _**real**_ pain that Diddy had been suffering from.

The fact was that Diddy had been demoted to an extra, unlike what he had been in the SNES days when he was first starting. While in two-player co-op mode, Diddy could only use the second WiiMote, perhaps as a pun for being DK's "Second Banana". However, in the single player mode, he couldn't control himself at all. DK not only controlled himself but also Diddy. This would give Diddy a bunch of limitations in single player. He couldn't use his peanut popguns, he was stuck on DK's back, and the only things he was allowed to do would be to use his jet pack to carry DK over long jumps and to provide two extra hit points in the game play. Other than that, Diddy was virtually stuck to just sitting there on DK's back doing absolutely nothing at all but just be carried around by DK. Diddy felt that as being a sluggish, lazy little baby monkey rather than a hero, which had been his ambition when he WAS growing up. The reason why he felt that being stuck on DK's back was babyish of him was because he knew that real infant monkeys are actually like that in reality. Diddy was now in his early teens, so he felt a little too old to have to spend extremely long periods of time riding on DK's back as if he was his infant son.

However, although Diddy was a decade older than 'infant', he was still about as small as a pint, as some people would put it. It was even revealed one time that certain infant clothes would still fit him today, such as when he and DK were trying to find a way to rescue Baby Kong from K. Rool, DK decided to have Diddy dressed up as a baby so they could trick K. Rool's minions into believing that Diddy was Baby Kong so that DK could sneak the real Baby Kong out of K. Rool's lair. Diddy was so upset with DK that he forced him to do a bunch of chores for him in return.

(A/N: This reference is to the Donkey Kong Country TV Series episode, "Baby Kong Blues".)

All of those thoughts combined along with the demotion to extra in DKCR made Diddy feel more upset than he ever was in his life. He saw it as an insult to his reputation as a hero, although it wasn't meant to do such a thing like that. This so-called game that was based on their adventure to stave off the Tiki Tak Tribe was considered by Diddy to give 50/50 type happiness. The dark side of it was Diddy's demotion and being forced to exclusively ride on DK's back in single player, as he thought of it as being childish, while the bright side was that it was simply one of his mainstream adventures with DK, and that the game, despite the difference in limitations between DK and Diddy, even gave them each their own ending for the final boss battle. However, Diddy still felt as if that wasn't enough to satisfy him. He could never get those thoughts combining his demotion and his flashbacks of being proven still small enough to be about the size of some infant monkeys out of his head.

Diddy watched himself being stuck on DK's back while DK tackled the level on his own with the help of his little sidekick's jet pack. DK succeeded.

"You wanna jump back into the action, little buddy?" asked DK to Diddy.

"Oh, definitely. Feels like I've been waiting forever!" teased Diddy.

Diddy's tone made DK feel that Diddy certainly wasn't feeling right. He could tell right away that something was upsetting him.

"Are you okay, Diddy?" asked DK.

"Oh, really? After watching myself do nothing but lift you with my jet packs!? Whatever happened to peanuts!?" was Diddy's response.

DK knew what Diddy was talking about.

"I know, little buddy," said DK, "That's why I only do the single player mode when you wanna take short breaks, like just now."

"But even while I'm taking short breaks, I just can't bear to watch myself being stuck on you like that," said Diddy.

"I understand, little buddy," replied DK, "but still you can give yourself some action again right now. Why don't you just calm down and we'll take it to the next level."

"Okay," sighed Diddy.

The two Kongs soon began the next Factory level. Diddy was once again running off, seeming to be eager to have the pleasure of seeing himself having the pleasure of doing something without DK being involved in it, or maybe just some enemies whom he could take on with his cartwheels and his peanut popguns.

DK let his little buddy just go ahead of him, knowing what he wanted: an independent challenge.

They made it past the level's first checkpoint, but they didn't make it very far when Diddy made another sudden mistake while leading the way and was knocked off the screen with DK alone. DK lasted only a few more seconds, helpless without Diddy.

They were forced back to the checkpoint, and this time Diddy tried to be a little more careful, running behind DK, but they both faltered again. They got another 'Game Over', and they just didn't know what to do at that moment.

They just sat there and chatted with each other on how they were going to make it through those levels without Diddy having to be treated into his demotion again. However, Diddy just suddenly lost his mood and decided to let DK do it on his own again. DK was beginning to feel worried for Diddy. Was this demotion getting to him too much? He just didn't know.

Anyhow, DK went back to single player and had Diddy on his back yet again. Once again, they cleared the level, and DK soon went back to the co-op mode to give Diddy another opportunity at the next level.

Diddy's mood soon proved to have hit him too much, as he was soon beaten down by an enemy within just seconds after the starting point.

DK lasted a little longer, but couldn't reach the checkpoint without Diddy.

At that moment, Diddy had lost it completely. He gritted his teeth at the TV screen and growled like a little monster.

DK turned and looked at his little nephew.

"Diddy, are you alright?" asked DK with worry.

As the two Kongs were taken back to the start of the level, Diddy didn't move himself with his WiiMote as DK had been expecting him to. He just sat there with an enraged, monstrous look on his face.

"MIND AS WELL JUST PUT A DIAPER ON ME AND PERMANENTLY ATTACH MY HANDS TO YOUR NECKTIE!" screamed Diddy in his frustration.

DK froze and continued to gaze at Diddy, who was soon turning his angry look into a shocked, sad one. His cheeks were blushing deep red in embarrassment, defeat and heartbreak.

Diddy knew right away that he had just over-exaggerated over his demotion. He couldn't say another word at that moment. He didn't know what to do.

"Whoa, … w-what did you say, little buddy?" said DK in disbelief.

Diddy slipped his WiiMote strap off his wrist and threw his WiiMote on the floor. Then, he threw himself onto a pillow on the armrest on his side of the sofa and began to cry heavily.

DK continued to look at his sobbing nephew. He was still trying to register everything that Diddy had just said. As soon as he finally did, he slowly scooted closer to Diddy, picked up his WiiMote off the floor and tapped Diddy's shoulder.

"Diddy, … a-are you okay?" asked DK gently.

"No," said Diddy.

"Aw, look, I know how you feel, but-"

Diddy cut off DK.

"Yeah, but how do they feel about me?" Diddy was starting to turn angry again.

"Look, … they were just trying to make it a little more family-fun, little buddy," said DK.

"They overdid it!" said Diddy, a little louder.

"Oh, Diddy, listen, I-"

"What else does anyone have to say!?" yelled Diddy, frustrated again, "I didn't deserve this kind of demotion! Just because I'm as little as an infant monkey doesn't mean I have to look like an infant monkey!"

"Wha-what do you mean, infant?"

"You know what I mean! Little monkeys riding on the backs of their bigger relatives for long periods of time! You do realize that baby monkeys actually ride their parents' backs in reality! I'm not a baby, yet I've been proven several times to still look like a baby! FIRST, YOU FORCE ME INTO DRESSING UP LIKE A BABY TO HELP RESCUE BABY KONG FROM K. ROOL, AND NOW THIS!? I'M FORCED TO JUST SIT ON YOUR BACK AND DO NOTHING BUT JUST SIT ON YOU LIKE A BABY MONKEY!? IF YOU WANNA GET A NECKTIE WITH SHOULDER STRAPS AND POCKETS IN THEM FOR ME TO PERMANENTLY STICK MY HANDS INTO, AND A SACK OF DIAPERS FOR ME TO RUIN MYSELF IN AS IF I WAS AS DUMB AS A BABY, JUST GO RIGHT AHEAD! I'D LOOK MORE BABYISH THEN!"

With that, Diddy let out a big, loud scream and banged his face onto his pillow on the sofa's armrest and began to let out some child-like cries.

DK just sat there in deep shock. He had already known that Diddy's demotion had set him into a negative emotional period, but he had no idea that it was THIS bad, so bad that Diddy wound up comparing himself to real baby monkeys in speaking terms of his small size and being forced to do nothing but ride on DK's back in the single player mode that Diddy had heavily despised in that DKCR game. Sure, baby monkeys are actually like that, but riding DK's back wasn't really a childish thing for Diddy. Diddy actually did have a purpose in riding DK's back on their real adventure against the Tiki Tak Tribe. Even while riding on DK, Diddy could still use his peanut popguns and do other things to help out his big uncle while they were almost never separate from each other during their entire adventure.

The two have always appreciated being together due to their uncle/nephew love-type relationship, so Diddy didn't mind riding DK's back during their actual adventure, but when it came to the game that was based on it, Diddy thought they had gone too far, luring him stuck on DK's back without ever being allowed to get off and take a stroll on his own legs, unless he and DK were in two-player co-op. Diddy felt very insulted by this. It was the exact opposite of what he was during the SNES era when he could always do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted, but now he was limited to doing that only on the co-op. It was either that, or having to have his big uncle carry him around. To Diddy, it almost felt as if he was being kept in a baby-carrier that was strapped to DK's shoulders behind him. This made Diddy feel very childish, indeed.

Shortly after Diddy's second outburst, DK put both of the WiiMotes down and tapped Diddy's shoulder again.

"What?" sobbed Diddy in a very low, sad voice.

"I'm sorry," said DK, his voice also sounding a little sad.

"You're not the one that should be guilty, DK, even though you're the one who's back I'm stuck riding on, making me look so babyish!" said Diddy.

"Diddy, I meant to say that I'm sorry that they had to give you that demotion," explained DK, "Even I believe they shouldn't have done that to you."

"Exactly! Now look what's become of me!" said Diddy.

"I know you feel terrible because of your demotion, but that doesn't mean that riding on me is really all that babyish, because … it really isn't."

"Then, why do I have to just sit on you and be a lazy little monkey!?"

"You had a purpose in helping me in certain ways when you did ride on my back on our real adventure, little buddy," said DK.

"That was different," protested Diddy, "I'm talking about the game!"

"I understand, little buddy," said DK.

"They don't!" said Diddy.

With that, Diddy got up off the pillow and climbed onto DK's back, for real, this time.

"Diddy, you're letting it get to you a little too much," said DK.

"Too much!?" said Diddy, "Are you sure they wouldn't wanna just have me sit on you just like this, a dumb, lazy little bum who can do nothing at all!?"

Then, Diddy started to imitate the same baby sounds he had used on the Kremlings (in the Baby Kong Blues DKC TV episode).

"Diddy, … I don't wanna say it, but you're making yourself look babyish right now. I think you're just over-exaggerating about your demotion."

"Over-exag-er-gating?" mocked Diddy in his babyish voice.

DK just didn't know what to do. He wanted to get Diddy out of his trance, but was now lost for words. He just sighed and waited for Diddy to get over his frustration.

"Ooh, look at me!" said Diddy angrily, "I'm not-ting but a stupid lit-tle baby who can do not-ting but carry my bick ungle over bick jumps! Evewyone can just laugh at me now! Is that what I weally de-serve to be!? A STUPID BABY MONKEY!?"

Diddy let out a mocking baby cry and then he punched himself in the face and pushed himself off of DK's back and onto his pillow.

"THIS DEMOTION IS SO RIDICULOUS, I COULD SCREAM FOR DAYS!" screamed Diddy as loud as he could.

He went back to real crying on his pillow.

DK approached Diddy again and gave him a slight flick on the head with one of his fingers to get his attention.

"OW!" said Diddy as he felt a small pain near his ear, "What was that for!?"

With that, DK forced Diddy to face him, wrapped an arm around his back and pinned his arms to his sides, refusing to release his hands.

Diddy's eyes grew wide, and he felt his whole face sweating, his cheeks blushing badly and his heart beginning to pound heavily at the sight of DK looking as if he was about to scold him. He never liked it when he did that to him. However, DK remained with a cool, calm tone.

"Diddy," DK began, "Please listen to me. You have got to stop with the over-exaggeration. I understand your feelings, and I know you think it seems like a childish thing for you, but do you realize how much of a child you were just now acting like? As long as you keep doing that right now, you'll only make yourself feel a lot worse than you already are feeling. It's one thing to simply exaggerate over something, but to do so the way you just did? You've really gone out of bounds doing that. I'm pretty sure you've made your point."

Diddy felt his eyes pouring with tears again. He felt sure that DK was going to punish him for over-exaggerating. He tried to think of a way out of this situation.

"Now," continued DK, "I think it's best if you just take a few deep breaths and calm down, okay?"

As DK released Diddy's hands from his grasp, Diddy quickly sank his face against his feet, buried the back of his head with his hands and continued sobbing.

DK soon wanted to take back what he had just done, making Diddy believe he was going to punish him in some way. DK never did like to punish Diddy in any way. He knew how much of a reliable sidekick he had always been to him, and he knew how much he loved Diddy as a nephew and how much Diddy loved him as an uncle.

DK gently patted Diddy's forehead.

"Hey, … I'm sorry, little buddy. I didn't mean to treat you that way," said DK, seeming as if he was about to let out some tears.

"I'm so sorry, too, DK. (sniffle) I never should've taken it so hard. (sniffle) I was just so upset about how ... (sniffle) ... s-s-s-stupid the game has ... (sniffle) ... made me l-l-look today. I'm ... (sniffle) ... very s-s-sorry, D-D-D-DK-K," bawled Diddy, regretting everything he had just done.

"Aw, come here, little buddy," said DK with a few tears as he patted his little nephew on the back.

Poor Diddy sluggishly scooted right up to DK and lazily reached for DK's shoulder. DK lifted his little buddy off the cushion and onto his lap.

As Diddy's face drooped horribly with an open explosion of tears, DK reached for a tissue box, grabbed it from the stand and put the tissue box on his lap as well.

Diddy grabbed a tissue and tried to blow his nose, but he was crying way too much to even try to dry his face, so he just sat there with the tissue in his hand and his face still drooling badly.

DK grabbed another tissue and tried his best to dry Diddy's reddened face.

"Aw, there, there, Diddy," said DK, about to cry over his nephew's sadness. "There's no need to be so torn up about this. I know you feel terrible … and … I know how you think about everything we've mentioned, but ... (sniffle) ... you don't have to … (sniffle) … y-you know … take it so hard on yourself. It was just one mistake, and … (sniffle) … I'm sure they'll never make that mistake again."

(A/N: SPOILER: Sadly, Retro Studios has made that "mistake" with Diddy again in Tropical Freeze.)

"W-why did they ever have to d-d-do ... (sniffle) ... this to m-me in the f-f-first place?" wondered Diddy.

"To be honest with you, … (sniffle) … I … really d-don't know, little buddy," replied DK, "but there are some reasons w-why you do ride on my back."

"T-t-true," agreed Diddy, "but … (sniffle) … I somehow feel l-l-left out of t- … (sniffle) … the s-s-s-spotlight."

"I know, little buddy," said DK, beginning to regain control of his feelings, "but you've still got your jet pack, your peanut popguns, and the strength to lift me by the shoulders, so you're really not a weak little monkey. You're still special in your own way."

Diddy slightly nodded his head in agreement, but still wondered why he ever had to have that demotion in the first place.

"Now, then," said DK, "why don't we just relax for a few minutes, then we can continue playing, and … I won't make you ride my back again for the rest of the day. Does that sound okay, little buddy?"

Diddy thought about it for a minute while trying to blow his nose again, and eventually being able to dry his face. His cheeks still remained deep red in sadness and embarrassment over his over-exaggeration, though.

"Um, … (sniffle) … o-o-okay," replied Diddy weakly, still unable to control his tears.

DK wrapped his arms around Diddy's back and hugged him very tightly. DK wanted to do just about everything in the world to make his little buddy feel better, but for now he kept his nephew warm in his arms for several minutes and occasionally petted the back of his head to give him some extra comfort.

Eventually, Diddy finally stopped drooling all over his legs and he wiped his face with his tissue, wiped his legs and got off of DK's lap. Afterward, they grabbed their WiiMotes, DK petted Diddy's back a few times, and the two Kongs continued playing their game.

For the rest of the day, DK let Diddy take his own strolls without making him ride his back, not even once.

* * *

Even to this day, I still wonder why Retro Studios ever decided to do that to Diddy in the first place? I was greatly upset myself when I first found out, but there was nothing that any of us could do about it, so we can at least be grateful for the two-player co-op mode, and that they still give Diddy his own ending and his own cutscenes in certain parts of the game.

Still, though, I've always had a soft spot for Diddy, especially in DKCR.

See ya later! Oh, and, uh, ... no flaming please.


End file.
